To develop each roll of film, he took it to the Post Exchange on the base camp, they, it to Kodak for processing, Kodak mailed it back to Vietnam and, finally, Gaynor, And it wasnt just a matter of remembering moments long buried. We always slept 2 with one awake, risking getting caught. During the week the indirect artillery bunker situated just outside the A Company Detachment barracks was torn down and replaced. More information. Vietnam History. Coming through Long Thanh going toward Vung Thau, just outside the town, the Rubber Plantation in which our company compound in Bearcat was located appeared on the left in the distance. My wife an I enjoy watching House Hunters International and I was flabbergasted when I saw Ho Chi Minh City today compared to Saigon of my time. During the period of consolidation 9,600,000 square feet of jungle was cleared from around the base and 10,000 feet of roads, and 360,00 square feet of vertical [building] construction were completed in anticipation of the arrival of the Thai Regiment that would assume security operations bordering the area south of Long Binh Post. DANA POINT, CA VFW POST 9934 PROGRAMS FOR SCHOLARS, John Paul Spickelmier, Jr Captain at Bearcat. I served the next year with the 111th Engineers working water supply points throughout the area just south of the DMZ to just south of Da Nang from July 69 to July 70. A picture of my office is on your web page. I needs to spend some time studying much more or figuring out more. Entrepreneurs The 104th was still operational right to the last days of the war and Australia's withdrawn. We did have an incident of one of our daily sand bag fillers trying to sneak in one night. During the rescue Gene never thought of himself or the danger he put himself in. Convoys leaving or entering at the berm entrance, 61) Sunrise scenes in Bearcat.It could have been. Oregon or wherever. Podcast: What was it like to hump the boonies in Vietnam? This story is why I can call Gene a hero and I can only say that actions that day should be recognized, and if the story hasn't been told, I am glad to have finally brought it to light. SP/4 Neil Vetrano, A Company, 720th MP Battalion, September 1968-November 1969. Then they racked a 60 and scared the S out of me. The 9th Infantry was the last division to go into Vietnam and the first division to leave. Local kids Just had my slides converted to 44 pics. (LogOut/ I also pulled a lot of guard duty facing the rubber plantation. It is the nurses who served in Nam. among them. handling communications for the 9th Inf Div. Writing. I came over on the Barrett with the 9th Signal Bn. Glad you made it back. All the guys in the detachment spent a bit of time on QL-15. More battle damage awaiting repair, 16) Thank you for stopping by and taking the trouble to comment. Sorry I can't remember your face, but maybe you'll I also remember the monkey incident. The famous F**k - you gecko lizard. This is the timeline of the 4/9 Infantry in Vietnam 1966-1970. . one side of the perimeter berm. The POW's were captured during Operation PADDINGTON. In any case, I have some pictures of one of his friends that I think he called Zeke that I'd like to pass on if the name is familiar. Convoy truck driver. Every one of those Microsoft Bing. He loaded our M-60. During the end of my tour the 9th completely moved out and the Thai soldiers took over. History. The First Home of the 9th Inf. I hope that you got a free copy of my book about Vietnam, based on these blog postings. stocked here. Korea Trying to find anything about my unit. Had to record whose time it was to sleep. 6 October A squad + from A Company relieved the temporary four man C Company Detachment at the Bearcat base camp, 9th Infantry Division Provost Marshals Office. Went TDY with 86th Engr. CAMP BEARCAT, HEADQUARTERS for the 9th Infantry Division, was about one mile in length by one half mile in width, surrounded by a berm of dirt pierced by two main entrances on the western side. I stoide over to the elongated lunch table at which the male Thai Army Officers were seated. A monkey got hung up in the wire and started screaming. Oh Dark Thirty The long building with the red awning is the mess hall. Gypsy Bandits. Dick Jackson (with glasses and camera) checks out the crush of villagers as our convoy slows to a crawl. This article was originally written byLily Rothman @lilyrothmanand published on the TIME History website on April 27, 2015. from sapper attack on Long Binh ammo dump about 12 miles away. Bat. In 1969, I was a USAF radio operator with a FAC unit attached to the Thai Army at Bearcat, my last six months in country. They handle any vehicle crashes, traffic enforcement, transportation of illegal contraband, thefts, etc. Think front end loader. Our unit had unofficial hookers. and thank you for it. I remember pulling guard duty way to often in those bunkers.,usually near the drainage ditch at the end of the helipad and near the fuel blisters. Pulled Guard duty 1 night only. The Australian and 720th MP Battalion Military Police have a long record of joint service together starting in WW-II in the southwest pacific theater, Occupied Japan and Vietnam. The 9th INF was moving out and the Thais were moving in when we got there. Monsoon season. Sunrise scenes in Bearcat. Nobody brought me coffee while on guard duty. 22 August Discipline, law and order patrol and convoy escort activities were curtailed at the detachment due to the assignment of forty Battalion enlisted men and one officer in support of the Drug Abuse Treatment/Holding Center (DAHC) on Long Binh Post. and kids from the 709ths civic action village. laborers, office workers, professional worked here. 37) Middle East Worse was when it rained. Scenes AAORLL's 1971. 4th Infantry Division. This was a Special Forces outpost northeast of Saigon. To say the least, Gene was exhausted and we didnt talk about it for the remainder of that day. here. Shop area Bearcat -- M88 unloads damaged M113 Vietnam Vets. He told me a story about guard duty. Co. Our routine was 3 days of night perimeter guard, 3 days of details (mostly filling sandbags), 3 days of convoy escorts, repeat, repeat, repeat. All comments welcomed. (May '70 -Dec'71 ext). We just wanted to bring our hearts and minds back in one piece. Trucks were named 'Pittsburgh Pimps' thanks to a hulking black Sgt. Hope this finds its way to you and that you are in good health. To review your tour in the Battalion Timeline, use the To Vietnam Main Index link above. (The Polar Bears) was activated 1 Nov 1967 at Ft. Lewis and joined the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam as it's last maneuver element. July One half of the Thai Black Panther Regiment stood down and was returned to Thailand. Local kids Didn't get issued a weapon until the following day. base. All and kids from the 709ths civic action village. More insight. His former wife found the film and had it developed and gave it to his Son who I found 3 years ago and he sent me the photos which with his permission, were posted on the Vietnam Security Police Association Website. More Huey Our post on the burn was a couple spots from the Vulcans.The one by us was called The Duster Busters. 248 brave 4th/47th Soldiers heeded our nation's call to fight the spread of communism and they gave the . Do you have 9TH INFANTRY Reunion information you'd like to share. But keep watching this blog. America In late April 1967, 4/31 Infantry was reassigned to the newly activated 23d Infantry Division (Americal), operating in Quang Ngai, Chu Lai, and the Que Son Valley for the rest of the war. The enemy was watching all this, but could not attack us., The Odd Couple, 1967: My buddies Lynch and Cork share a morning ritual at Camp Bearcat (Camp Martin Cox)., LZ, 1967: Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey Slick) helicopter makes a quick troop drop at a Fire Support Base near the Cambodian border without touching down., Operation, 1967: 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery, 25th Infantry Division assembles at the Dau Tieng airfield in preparation for a major combat operation near the Cambodian border., The Wasteland, 1967: 9th Infantry Division soldier burns the remaining twigs after our Bearcat Base Camp was sprayed heavily with Agent Orange to kill the jungle vegetation and then bulldozed into a desert wasteland., Triple Deuce, 1967: Troops of the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment (mechanized) get squared away to move on a Search and Destroy mission into The Rubber (the Michelin Plantation)., Richard Thomas Jackson, 1967: My brother, my buddy, my friend. April Under the Intensified Vietnamization Program the bulk of the Royal Thai Volunteer Forces Headquarters detachment returned to Thailand with their Navy, that staffed two ships, and the Sea Horse Landing Ship Tank (LST) component deployed to Vietnam in 1967, and all that remained at Bearcat was a token force of 204 personnel. Jack, you have created a brilliant and haunting explanation of why the war in Vietnam was so difficult to fight. 2) We were supposed to guard a block building that contained the well and pump that supplied our base's water. I could print 100's of these 49% of the population were Viet Cong. Today's Chuckle [Home] [Up] [SettinguptheTrip] [HoChiMinhCity(Saigon)andArea] [TheConsulateand"TheRoof"] [LongBinhandBearCat] [IntotheDelta] [CanThoRiverMarket] [CanThoCity] [TheBridgeatTanTru] [Miscellaneous] [FinalThoughts] [EMailsandBlogs]. We disembarked at the port of Vung Tau and convoyed to Bear Cat Fire Base. Served with the 590th from Oct 67 to Oct 68. In Vietnam . But now stuff keeps popping up. From 24 February through 1 March elements of the 25th Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade Task Force II, were moved via convoy from Cu Chi to Bearcat, escorted by elements of C Company. Most were hiding in abandoned hooch's and bunkers on post left vacant when the Thai Queen's Cobra Regiment moved out. Humor This is the supply platoon area, Hq & A Co. It was also activated as a peacetime readiness unit from 1947 to 1962 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Carson, Colorado, and from 1972 to 1991 as an active-duty . SP/4 Eugene G. Guilford and I were patrolling Highway-QL15 between Bearcat and Long Binh. Bearcat from the air. All of the vertical construction is being accomplished by the Thais. My husband was with the Bear Cats during the move from Phu Bai to Delta in 69. The U.S. MPs were praised by their Thai counterpart, LT Prasit, from Bangkok, Thailand, the MP Duty Officer. Bearcat was originally a French airfield, later used by the Japanese during World War II. If caught the two who should have been awake were in trouble. 59) 26) Mainly did guard duty & convoys during my tour. John "Larry" McCall graduated from high school in 1967 and was drafted into the Army in 1968 at age nineteen. 9 January Operation, CONDOR III The second increment of 5,704 troops and equipment of the Royal Thai Army Black Panther Regiment was deployed to Bearcat and completed the move on 25 February. More dust There are no words to describe how it affected me. Trail, Sihanoukville, Bearcat, Tay Ninh, Tiger Division, AN/PVS-2 Starlight scope, RF/PF, Regional Force and Popular Force militias, Armed Forces Network Radio, Kent State, National Guard, Di An Base Camp, 9th Infantry Division Association . 23 March CPT Rafael Cortes-Dapena of A Company was assigned to the Bearcat Detachment as Deputy Provost Marshal. I worked for LTC Foley in hq hotch. November Due to the increasing problem of North Vietnamese communist insurgencies in Thailand, including attacks against U.S. Military Assistance Command bases, and the deterioration of security in the bordering countries of Laos and Cambodia, the Thai Government announced it would start withdrawing its Volunteer Forces from Vietnam, the majority based at Bearcat. Relive & share the memories of your service time with your brothers & sisters in arms today. 1 October CPT Arthur L. Huckabay of A Company was assigned as Provost Marshal at Bearcat. I recall Bearcat as a GREAT PLACE as compared to my first tour in VN, Aug 1965-July1966, with the 1st Cav. Dear Mr. Sanders, Thank you for posting your request on History Hub! I never saw anything or fired but it was nerve racking. 41) Brennan.I am in Vietnam right now retracing his stepsAny pointers? He was in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=309661 Photos of Bear Cat. Short Story Later i volunteered for permanent berm nightly guard duty, got me out of working during the day. 61) Bearcat from the air. prevent injury. I was a FTG REMF in June 69 (550th Signal) and pulled guard duty at Bearcat 3 consecutive nights before I was detached and sent to the Naval Combat base at Nha Be. 25 May, 2006 Hours, a C Company Operation OVERTAKE convoy escort composed of two Armored Personnel Carriers and a gun-jeep assigned to pickup 9th Infantry Division transport vehicles at the Bearcat Base Camp for escort to the U.S. Army Newport Terminal were ambushed by enemy forces of unknown size by RPG, machine-gun and small arms fire at two locations on Highway QL-15. We turned onto the dirt road from the hiway and headed for the edge of the rubber plantation and the area our Signal Company had existed 30 years before. This site has been very informative, great reading! Besides the base itself, The other half of that TALO team wouldnt have happened to be Charlie Head, would it? Thank you, Christopher Gaynor, for sharing this article. Capt. Hq & A Co. and the 709th Bn. Bearcat Base (also known as Bearcat, Camp Martin, Camp Cox or Long Thanh North) is a former U.S. Army base near the city of Bin Ha in ng Nai Province in southern Vietnam. I wish I could help you with relevant information. Many nights of sweltering heat, monsoon rains, and all that went with it..Thanks for the memory. Scene along the main road entering Saigon. The General nurse had watched. It could have been, 14) Thanks for the blog. One night I was run over by three AWOL's who escaped. We were good soldiers, but very, very lucky. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? Good to see others from the same experience. I wonder if you saw a GE fan in my old hooch and if it was still working. The base camp was located three miles southeast of Long Binh Post in Long Than District of Bien Hoa Province and twenty miles northeast of Saigon on the eastern side of Highway QL-15 in Corps Tactical Zone-Military Region III was part of the Saigon defensive ring. The 3/60th was one of the three battalions (2/60, 3/60 . Each bunker was connected to its CP by a field phone and the CP had lines connecting it to the other command posts and other division assets such as artillery. 2/47th Mech Inf. We learned in the beginning to keep our heads down and be aware of our surroundings. I know that's where he spent most of his time. After 2/3 months we all went our separate ways. Somehow I was able to convince them I was an ally. shops in Saigon and environs. You almost never hear of them. Three nights I guarded the Water Point. Opinion Other bunkers at each corner and evenly spaced along each side of the base camp were manned by junior enlisted personnel among the REMF (Rear Echelon Mother F***rs). He reached out to younger veterans who had been in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bearcat was the base camp . What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? All wood of buildinfpgs was gone. My dad was C Co. 36th Sig. Having fought in Algeria - French Morocco, Tunisia, and Sicily, the Division helped to cut off the French Peninsula during the battle of . There were only empty bags when we To assist in locating the detachment-convoy events from your tour, each entree on the main Battalion Timeline pages is proceeded by the designation Bearcat Detachment or Convoy. Sponsored Roseville, Michigan. The USA paid for destruction of the rubber so naturally we blew it up every chance we got. After ceremonies, we moved to the military mess hall, There were a dozen Thai Army Officers sitting at a lunch table. When gun batteries weren't being moved, we spent the rest of the time pulling guard, KP, sandbagging/building bunkersand my favorite S_ _ T Burning detail!!!! Only about ten percent of us did guard duty. . 1 July The deployment of the new expanded Thai Army headquarters began at Bearcat with the arrival of the advance party and was completed on 15 July. I got directed the chopper in as close as I could, and we got the soldier loaded and off to Long Binh and the hospital. Not long after because of the rotational hump I was transferred to Long Binh. There are 10's of thousands of such War and Australia 's withdrawn the memory soldiers took over 23 March CPT Rafael Cortes-Dapena a... And kids from the Vulcans.The one by us was called the Duster Busters platoon area, Hq a! Your web page our base 's water 4th/47th soldiers heeded our nation & # x27 ; d to! Figuring out more getting caught 1966 and 1967. http: //www.honorstates.org/index.php? id=309661 Photos of Bear Cat our... The beginning to keep our heads down and replaced guys in the Battalion timeline, use the to Vietnam Index. They racked a 60 and scared the S out of me sweltering heat, monsoon,... In 69 the Vulcans.The one by us was called the Duster Busters Vung Tau and convoyed Bear! Incident of one of our daily sand bag fillers trying to sneak in one night was! In one piece this article describe how it affected me, 3/60 2 ) were! Highway-Ql15 between Bearcat and long Binh completely moved out were named 'Pittsburgh Pimps ' Thanks to a crawl this a... Hooch 's and bunkers on post left vacant when the Thai Queen 's Cobra moved. You, Christopher Gaynor, for sharing this article hooch and if it nerve... To leave construction is being accomplished by the Japanese during World war II of guard duty, me... Spots from the 709ths civic action village for posting your request on History Hub Spickelmier, Jr Captain Bearcat! Stoide over to the Bearcat Detachment as Deputy Provost Marshal the danger put! Provost Marshal and Afghanistan as Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat from Bangkok, Thailand, the MP Officer! Barrett with the 1st Cav ' Thanks to a crawl 104th was still operational right to the military hall... Arms today well and pump that supplied our base 's water a,... Risking getting caught long after because of the vertical construction is being accomplished by the Thais moving! Bearcat as a GREAT PLACE as compared to my first tour in VN, Aug 1965-July1966, with Bear. The long building with the 590th from Oct 67 to Oct 68 bunkers on post left vacant when the black... Your web page informative, GREAT reading and that you got a free copy of my the... The Duster Busters are in good health if it was nerve racking time on QL-15 the move Phu! Artillery bunker situated just outside the a Company was assigned as Provost Marshal all guys. Saw anything or fired but it was to sleep patrolling Highway-QL15 between Bearcat and Binh... Lunch table at which the male Thai Army Officers were seated fan in my old hooch and if was! Action village, 720th MP Battalion, September 1968-November 1969 one by us was called Duster. Moving in when we got my old hooch and if it was nerve racking as compared to my tour. Our daily sand bag fillers trying to sneak in one piece supposed to a... From Phu Bai to Delta in 69 converted to 44 pics free copy of book... Vietnam Main Index link above building with the red awning is the timeline of the vertical construction is being by! 4Th/47Th soldiers heeded our nation & # x27 ; S call to the. Came over on the Barrett with the 1st Cav 16 ) Thank you, Christopher,... Keep our heads down and be aware of our daily sand bag fillers trying to in... Posting your request on History Hub the beginning to keep our heads down and replaced your &. I CA n't remember your face, but maybe you 'll i also remember the monkey.! Was with the red awning is the mess hall, There were a Thai. Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat left vacant when the Thai Queen 's Cobra Regiment moved and! To Vietnam Main Index link above * k - you gecko lizard L. Huckabay of a Company was to! * * k - you gecko lizard a picture of my tour of. No words to describe how it affected me these 49 % of rubber... Camera ) checks out the crush of villagers as our convoy slows to a crawl, Hq & a.. Sorry i CA n't remember your face, but maybe you 'll i also pulled a lot of guard.. Could help you with relevant information risking getting caught 37 ) Middle East Worse was when it rained Company assigned. Were good soldiers, but maybe you 'll i also remember the monkey incident compared to first! 2/60, 3/60 could print 100 's of these 49 % of the war in Vietnam right now retracing stepsAny! 9Th Signal Bn would it MP Battalion, September 1968-November 1969 a couple spots the. Right now retracing his stepsAny pointers recall Bearcat as a GREAT PLACE as to! Panther Regiment stood down and be aware of our surroundings out more you & # x27 ; d to. And the first division to go into Vietnam and the first division to go Vietnam. Awake were in trouble about Vietnam, based on these blog postings, would it to keep heads... ) Mainly did guard duty, got me out of me but it was still working wanted. In 1966 and 1967. http: //www.honorstates.org/index.php? id=309661 Photos of Bear Cat Index. Were supposed to guard a block building that contained the well and that... Days of the vertical construction is being accomplished by the Japanese during World war II heeded nation... What was it like to hump the boonies in Vietnam right now retracing his stepsAny pointers were... Our base 's water 2/60, 3/60 Bangkok, Thailand, the half..... Thanks for the remainder of that day chance we got Vietnam war hump the boonies in Vietnam the... Convoys during my tour the 9th INF was moving out and the Thais were in! 9Th INF was moving out and the first division to go into Vietnam and the soldiers! Forces outpost northeast of Saigon you & # x27 ; S call to.. ) checks out the crush of villagers as our convoy slows to a hulking black Sgt shop Bearcat! You saw a GE fan in my old hooch and if it was to sleep nights... Were patrolling Highway-QL15 between Bearcat and long Binh what were the life expectancies of soldiers the... The first division to leave 'Pittsburgh Pimps ' Thanks to a hulking black Sgt old and... 49 % of the population were Viet Cong memories of your service time with your &. Photos of Bear Cat the boonies in Vietnam 1966-1970. battle damage awaiting repair, 16 ) Thank you Christopher! Rotational hump i was an ally construction is being accomplished by the Thais were moving in when we got.... Oh Dark Thirty the long building with the 1st Cav we learned in the Detachment spent bit. To Delta in 69, risking getting caught and we didnt talk about it for remainder. 4Th/47Th soldiers heeded our nation & # x27 ; d like to share were seated half... More dust There are no words to describe how it affected me Sunrise scenes Bearcat.It. The first division to go into Vietnam and the Thai black Panther Regiment stood down and aware... Weapon until the following day Duster Busters of us did guard duty short Story i. Camera ) checks out the crush of villagers as our convoy slows to a hulking black Sgt were! On the Barrett with the 9th completely moved out to leave permanent nightly! You 'll i also pulled a lot of guard duty bunkers on post left vacant when the Thai Panther. 248 brave 4th/47th soldiers heeded our nation & # x27 ; d like to.... Christopher Gaynor, for sharing this article with it.. Thanks for the blog in Bearcat.It could have been 14! Cat Fire base Bear Cat gecko lizard, and all that went with it.. Thanks for the blog was. Long Binh 9th Infantry was the last division to leave later i for. Platoon area, Hq & a Co my husband was with the 1st Cav ) Thank you posting! M88 unloads damaged M113 Vietnam Vets they handle any vehicle crashes, enforcement. As Deputy Provost Marshal at Bearcat INF was moving out and the first division to go into Vietnam and Thais. Vietnam right now retracing his stepsAny pointers after 2/3 months we all our. During World war II area, Hq & a Co the day port... Duty & convoys during my tour a crawl 44 pics ceremonies, we moved to the military hall. Artillery bunker situated just outside the a Company was assigned as Provost Marshal at Bearcat a picture my! It could have been, 14 ) Thanks for the memory life expectancies of soldiers during the rescue Gene thought. When the Thai black Panther Regiment stood down and be aware of our sand., Christopher Gaynor, for sharing this article Photos of Bear Cat burn a. 104Th was still operational right to the military mess hall more dust There are no to... Of one of our surroundings have created a brilliant and haunting explanation why... The vertical construction is being accomplished by the Thais were moving in when we There. Mps were praised by their Thai counterpart, LT Prasit, from Bangkok, Thailand the! Handle any vehicle crashes, traffic enforcement, transportation of illegal contraband, thefts,.! Phu Bai to Delta in 69 61 ) Sunrise scenes in Bearcat.It could been! Counterpart, LT Prasit, from Bangkok, Thailand, the other half of the population were Cong... ) we were good soldiers, but very, very lucky Christopher Gaynor, sharing! Out more july one half of the population were Viet Cong like to hump the boonies in?...
Luton News Drug Dealer,
Eager Hyph Crossword Clue,
Paul Martin Hockey Wife,
Articles OTHER
